Perform These Fall Maintenance Task Before the Cold Really Hits New Jersey

Owning your own home is a source of pride, but it’s also a lot of work. Routine upkeep, daily cleaning and periodic upgrades can take a toll on your time and your wallet, but sometimes all that hard work really pays off. Taking the time to perform fall home maintenance tasks will not only increase your comfort, but help reduce energy costs and prevent major repairs down the road; here’s a handy checklist to help get you started.

Indoors

Start at the bottom. Head down to the basement or crawlspace to look for signs of mold, or standing water. Inspect exposed ductwork during fall home maintenance, looking for cracks or areas of disconnect, and sealing with foil backed tape or duct mastic.

Insulate. Check your attic insulation, replacing any that is moldy; if levels fall below the floor joists, add another layer or two to increase the R value.

Circulate. Increase air circulation by making sure all your vents are free from obstruction by draperies or furniture.

Call the pros. Schedule annual preventive maintenance before you turn your heating equipment on. Having your system inspected, cleaned and tuned each fall will help increase comfort and efficiency and prolong the lifespan of your equipment.

Seal. Air leakage from doors or windows can account for up to 20 percent of your monthly energy bill; seal leaks with weatherstripping or caulking where needed.

Ventilate. Control humidity and improve indoor air quality by providing adequate ventilation through the use of exhaust fans and attic ventilation.

Outdoors

Examine the exterior. Walk the perimeter of your home, looking for signs of damaged or missing siding or brickwork, which can cause moisture damage and heat loss.

Heads up. Inspect and repair gutters and downspouts, and check the roof for any missing or damaged shingles, or flashing that needs to be repaired or replaced.

For more fall home maintenance tips, or for any other HVAC concerns, call the experts at Aggressive Mechanical Contractors, Inc.; we’ve been proudly serving homeowners in Ocean and Monmouth Counties for over 40 years.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Monmouth County, New Jersey and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).